


Untell the Days

by jesterlady



Category: Legend of the Seeker
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Angst, Episode Related, Episode Tag, Gen, One Shot, Timey-Wimey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-06
Updated: 2012-05-06
Packaged: 2017-11-04 22:12:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/398750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jesterlady/pseuds/jesterlady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So Zedd has to tell everyone about the alternate timeline!  Cara's reaction, especially to the part about her betraying Richard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Untell the Days

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own LOTS. The title is by Thomas Heywood

It was seriously disturbing to see the wizard grinning at her like that. She was used to his jokes and he’d gradually started including her in more than just his widespread humor, but this...this was ridiculous.

“That long story needs to get told now,” Cara said finally after they’d walked for a good half an hour.

“I agree, Zedd,” Richard said. “Your mouth is going to stick that way.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s just that my relief knows no bounds. There’s been some time shifting.”

They all exchanged glances and Cara could see Richard and Kahlan were as clueless as she.

“We don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“I know,” the wizard answered, infuriatingly. “I’m the only one who’s been in all three timelines. Privilege of the wizard, you know.”

“Then explain why you looked like I had just come back from the dead,” Cara demanded as politely as she knew how.

His expression saddened slightly and she grew wary. 

“Cara, my dear, we were on our way to find the Stone when a Mord’Sith entered our camp. Her name was Dahlia and you had grown up together in the same Temple.”

“I don’t know any Dahlia.”

“I know.” Cara resisted the urge to hit him. “She said that your son was in danger and urged you to come with her.”

Cara stared at him, her lips twitching, and restraint fading.

“How would you know about that?”

“Cara,” Richard said, laying a hand on her arm. 

She looked quickly to her Lord Rahl and his look was compassionate, as always. She rolled her eyes. 

“I’m not going to hurt him. I’m just curious as to how he knows so much.”

“There was magic involved,” Zedd answered her. “Just listen and you’ll get it all, even if you want to use those agiels on me occasionally in the meantime.”

“Fine,” Cara said, pushing ahead of them all to walk in front so no one could see her expression. 

“Richard and Kahlan continued the search for the Stone while you and I went with Dahlia. We were captured by Mord’Sith; the entire story had been a trap. I was held captive for days and you were…broken again.”

Cara made a strangled noise in the back of her throat, but didn’t say anything.

“Then Rahl brought me before you and told you to kill me. You didn’t and we escaped. On our way back to find Kahlan and Richard you told me they had designed a special agiel for you, something that housed all the suffering you had given others. Cursed magic!”

Cara was surprised at the vehemence in the wizard’s tone. She hadn’t thought she merited such concern.

“You also told me that your son was dead; that much is still true, I’m afraid.”

Cara’s stride stiffened and then moved resolutely forward. She was not going to discuss this part. She could still feel Richard and Kahlan’s pitying gazes boring into her skull.

“We found the others and they had the Stone. But they could only get it to us by magical means; once I had it, you took it from me and tried to kill me.”

“I apologize,” Cara said.

“No need, Cara.” Zedd’s voice was sympathetic. “We followed you and you attacked us again, we captured you and I felt that magic binding you. Despicable filth fit only for the Keeper. We despaired of getting you back.”

Cara chanced a glance behind her and saw Richard’s jaw clenched tightly.

“Richard wouldn’t give up on you and so I tried a spell to undo the magic. When it was over I found myself at your wedding,” he said, speaking to the other two.

“Ours?” Kahlan asked, sounding puzzled, yet obviously pleased.

“Yes, it was a world where all the magic that had ever been done to Cara was undone. She never became a Mord’Sith. Since she never led the attack to get the Boxes, our plan worked. The power of confession undid the power of Orden. Richard was Lord of D’Hara and Rahl his servant. You, Cara,” he said, stopping and making her look at him, “I set out to find you. You had grown up in your village, married with two children. You were a widow and when I saw you again, you were with Leo.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Cara asked, her voice tight with anger.

“Because you have to know what I took from you. I’m sorry for it, so sorry. Somehow the power of Orden was broken. Rahl seized control again. Richard was under his power. Kahlan and I went to find you so I could undo the spell and Dahlia was there again and she killed you. I did the spell on Dahlia instead and so all the magic she’d ever encountered was undone and she never became a Mord’Sith. She wasn’t there to take you away from us. And then I found myself here with you and so grateful to find you with us again.”

“Your concern is touching,” Cara said bitterly, trying to take in all of this information. 

Richard and Kahlan plied Zedd with questions and Cara half-listened while doing her own processing. 

She’d never known a Dahlia; well, there was a girl in her village with that name. They’d been friends before Cara was taken. But she’d been one of the ones who’d tried to execute her the last time she’d been home. Cara couldn’t imagine why such a person would be so important to her. It didn’t matter now and she dismissed the thought.

What would she be like as a normal person? Not broken, not beaten, not proud and strong either. Just normal. With children? The thought was unthinkable. But…to have Leo. She turned from that, the pain was too much. Caring for people only brought pain and she didn’t want to relive his death. And apparently she had died again. At least she didn’t remember it this time.

Zedd had taken precious little and yet everything from her. She was right back where she started, with the knowledge that she had betrayed Richard and tried to hurt her friends, her family.

When the others had finally satisfied their curiosity, with some grumbling on the part of Richard of not getting to remember being with Kahlan, silence fell as if no one wanted to talk to her.

“Why did you want to save me?” she asked aloud, knowing she couldn’t get an answer. 

Richard wouldn’t remember his reason and Zedd couldn’t answer for him.

She was surprised when her lord answered her anyway.

“Because you would go to the ends of the world for me and I will never give up on you.”

A single tear fell from her eye but she pretended it wasn’t there. They had resumed walking, so no one else would see.

“How sentimental,” she said sarcastically and kept walking. 

Zedd stopped her again.

“Can you forgive me, Cara, for erasing part of your life? I gave Dahlia back hers if that means anything to you.”

“It doesn’t,” she said. “But you did what you had to do for Richard and the quest. That is all I require.”

“I’m asking you, girl,” he said, wizard’s fire brimming in his voice. 

She smiled inwardly even though it was frightening.

“I am satisfied with the way events ended,” she said simply. “I can’t fault you for what I don’t remember and I trust you to have my best interests at heart.” 

Even she was surprised by that last part.

“Thank you,” Zedd said. “I was never so glad as to see you walking over that dune.”

“Well, dune walking is a specialty of mine,” she said wryly, breaking the tension. 

They walked in silence from that point on and she thought long and hard over the situation. They finally reached a suitable spot to camp and Cara had come to a decision.

As Zedd and Kahlan settled in, Cara drew Richard aside.

“Forgive me, my lord,” she said formally. “I betrayed you and I wish you to know that it won’t happen again. I’m willing to-“

“Stop that,” he said harshly and she looked into his angry face. She’d known that was coming. “That’s not the way I operate. You’re my friend, not my slave, and I won’t let you feel guilty over something you didn’t even do.”

“You can’t stop me from feeling that way if I truly am as free as you say,” she said slyly. 

He stared at her and then laughed in his throat.

“No, I guess not. But I mean it, Cara. You didn’t betray me. I know you and I trust you. And I’m sorry you never got to be an innocent, little girl growing up into a woman, but I can’t say that I’m not glad that you’re still here.”

“The Lord Rahl is too kind,” she said, honey melting in her tone. He rolled his eyes. She dropped her own, still ashamed. “I’m sorry. All I want is to serve you, you know.” 

She made to leave, but he stopped her, pulling her into a hug, albeit an unwilling one on her part.

“You do, you will. And I you, my friend.”

Cara lay on her bedroll for several hours that night without sleeping. She might as well have been on watch. She watched the stars and felt the urgency of her quest, the bond of her lord, the friendship of her family and the curiosity of two lives not lived. There was pain in remembrance and there was relief, but she had to come down to one fact and that was that she liked the life she was living and she wouldn’t have it any other way.


End file.
